Page 158 of Fought and Freed

This wasn’t the flip house. Was this some kind of storage place?

He looked up and found his arms chained to a beam. His feet barely touched the ground.

A sinking sensation filled his stomach. This wasn’t good.

He glanced left and saw Torr tied to a chair. “Torr?”

Her head raised, and tears streamed down her bruised face. “Thank God you’re alive. When he dragged you in, I thought you were dead.”

“Do you know where we are?” he asked.

She shook her head as she sobbed.

“Oh, good, you’re awake,” Mike said as he rounded a box.

Cody looked around. “Where do you have, Kelly?”

“Kelly…? Kelly…” He tapped his chin. “Who the Hell is Kelly?”

“The twelve-year-old you took so you could control Grant,” Cody growled.

“Oh. Her. I put her in a cage in my house, then totally forgot about her. I wonder if she’s still alive?” He shrugged. “Oh well.”

“Let us go, Mike,” Cody commanded.

He tilted his head to the side. “Now, why would I do that?”

Cody pulled on his chains. “The Morettis didn’t blow up your family’s compound.”

“Oh, I know. That was me,” Mike laughed. “Moretti scum got to my father. He wanted to stop fighting, and I couldn’t let that happen, so I blew up my family.”

“You’re crazy,” Cody said.

“Maybe.” Mike walked closer to him. “The big bad Cody Anderson. You never trusted me, did you?”

Cody didn’t reply.

Mike’s eyes narrowed on him. “Do you know what I hate most in the world?”

Cody continued to just stare at him.

“When people think they’re better than me.” Mike pointed at Cody’s face. “I see that in your eyes every time you look at me.” His hand curled into a fist. “Let’s see how much better you are after I get done with you.”

Mike swung at Cody, connecting with his side.

Cody tried not to let a sound out, but an umph slipped past his lips.

“Oh.” A smile spread over Mike’s face. “I’m going to like this.”

He went to town on Cody’s body, hitting him all over.

Cody bit his lip so he wouldn’t give the asshole the satisfaction of making a sound.

“Okay, now, you’re pissing me off.” Mike grabbed a two-by-four. “Let’s see if you can keep your mouth shut with this.”

He connected with Cody’s ribs, and the sound of his bones cracking filled the air. Cody bit through his lip, but no sound left him.

“You think you’re so strong?” Mike threw the two-by-four aside and pulled out a knife with a serrated edge.

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